Meaning & use
al fresco
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Meanings
adverb
In the open air, especially when eating or drinking outside.
Grammar: Comes after the verb: 'We ate al fresco.' Not used before a noun in this sense.
Patterns
- eat al fresco
- dine al fresco
- drink al fresco
We decided to eat al fresco in the garden.
They often dine al fresco on warm evenings.
The cafe allows customers to drink al fresco.
adjectivebefore a noun
Happening or served in the open air, especially a meal.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: 'an al fresco lunch.'
Patterns
- al fresco dining
- al fresco lunch
- al fresco meal
The hotel offers al fresco dining on the terrace.
We enjoyed an al fresco lunch by the river.
Al fresco meals are popular in the summer.
Common combinations
- al fresco dining
- The restaurant is known for its al fresco dining.
- eat al fresco
- Let's eat al fresco tonight.
- al fresco lunch
- They had an al fresco lunch in the park.
- dine al fresco
- We dined al fresco under the stars.
Synonyms and how they differ
- outdoors
- Outdoors is more general and can describe any activity outside, not just eating.
- outside
- Outside is simpler and more common; al fresco sounds more stylish and is mostly used for meals.
- open-air
- Open-air is used before nouns, e.g. 'an open-air concert,' but not usually for meals.
Opposites
Commonly confused: al fresco or alfresco?
al fresco vs alfresco
Alfresco (one word) is sometimes used as a brand name for software, but the original phrase is two words: al fresco.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'al fresco' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Al fresco is an adverb or adjective phrase meaning 'in the open air.' It comes after the verb ('ate al fresco') or before a noun ('al fresco dining'). The other options put it in the wrong position or add an apostrophe.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “al fresco”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.